Up to 50% of patients report some traumatic event before the onset of symptoms .

Incidence

Symptomatic herniations occur in 1 per 1,00,000 patients per year.

Prevalence

Up to 73% of patients have some thoracic disc abnormalities on MRI.

37% have asymptomatic disc herniations.

Risk Factors

Genetics

No known genetic link

Pathophysiology

Symptomatic disc herniations can lead to spinal cord or nerve root compression.

Spinal cord compression can lead to signs of myelopathy without upper extremity involvement.

Associated Conditions

Adolescents with Scheuermann disease often present with acute disc herniation.

Diagnosis

Signs and Symptoms

Patients may present with axial pain (localized from the middle to lower thoracic spine), radicular pain (T10 dermatomal is most common), or myelopathy (bowel and bladder dysfunction are seen in up to 20% of patients with symptomatic disc herniation) .

History

This disorder has a very extensive differential diagnosis given the vague signs and symptoms, depending on the level of disc herniation.